A Shattered Dream Come True
by blurd-vision
Summary: “We can’t move.” Said Tina. Everything had just gotten good in her life. The past week, though painful and difficult, had been the best week of her life. And now, everything had fallen apart in one phone call.
1. What Happened Last

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****ONE  
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Tina woke up with a start at her father yelling on the telephone. She had been doing math homework in her bed and woke up to find papers crinkled, a pencil broken and letters smudged by a little bit of sleeping drool. Tina wiped her face, embarrassed and laughing but then jumped out of her bed at hearing a loud bang and left her room to see what had happened.

Tina couldn't remember a time when her father wasn't angry. He was always upset about something. And though she often failed, she tried desperately to keep her father happy. Her older brother was also the same way. He was like a second father but not in a good protective way.

"Dad, what's wrong?" Tina asked approaching him quietly and placing her hand on his shoulder.

"You can't do this! My wife _just _died, I _just_ lost my job. Give me some time!—I know we didn't pay last month—But—Yes I know Bill, just give me a couple weeks. Please!"

Tina's jaw dropped. "W-What, mom?"

"Tina, go away! I'm busy!"

"No! What happened to mom? You just said she died! She had gone to see grandma I thought—" Tina's sentence was cut short by a cold slap. She held her head down a moment but couldn't just let this pass. "Dad!" She insisted. Usually one strike and she would retreat but she couldn't this time. As she objected, her father's large hand gripped the chains around her neck and shoved her against the wall.

"Shut up Tina!" And he threw her into her older brother Gordon's arms as he entered their small apartment.

"What's going on Dad?" He asked catching her then just dropping her to the ground. Behind Gordon came Harmony her 6 year old sister. Gordon had picked up Harmony from school after his work and gone to get food, and liquor.

"Shut up Gordon. Get off of me Harmony!" He said kicking her off him as she hugged his leg.

"No, Mr. Chang! You pay me now! It's been two months and you haven't paid!" Tina heard Bill, their landlord yelling through the phone as her father held the phone from his face. "I don't care what happened to your wife to you or to your kids! It's too late, I'm kicking you out!"

"No Bill. Please no… No." Her father repeated when Bill hung up the phone. Mr. Chang fell to his knees.

"Dad what's going on?" Tina said concerned. She knew that her family was struggling financially for a long time but they had only just recently lost their home and had to move into a little 2 bedroom apartment.

Tina Gordon and Harmony all surrounded their father who had broke down. He was actually shedding tears. Something none of the children had seen since Harmony's twin sister Alana died. "We've already lost everything we own. We have no money. We're getting kicked out. Yeah, your mother's not coming back. She got in a car accident on the way home. I don't know where we're gonna go. I'm gonna move us out East I think, to your grandparents."

"We can't move." Said Tina. Everything had just gotten good in her life. The past week, though difficult, had been the best week of her life. And now, everything had fallen apart in one phone call. As she sat crying on the floor, numb from everything, the past week flashed back through her mind.

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	2. I Want To Be With You

Okie dokie, chaps get _loooonngg_ishfrom this point on. I just get carried away *smile*  
And yeah I just **LOVE** this whole Tina Artie thingamabobby

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TWO  
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A week prior, Tina's mother had gone to Minnesota to beg her parents to support her breaking apart family. She claimed to be back as soon as possible and she promised everything would be okay.

"I promise Tina it'll all be okay." Her mother said softly, kissing her forehead. Everyone was groggy because it was early Monday morning but they all wanted to see their mother off. "I love you girls. I'll be home really soon Harmony okay?" Harmony nodded her head and accepted a big hug.

"You had better come back here with money in your hands woman." Tina's father whispered loudly in his wife's ear. He looked at Tina who was obviously listening and glared at her threateningly. "If they won't support us, then don't even _bother_ coming back. You hear me?" At that moment, he seemed even scarier.

Tina's mother nodded her head, frightened as usual. She was sweet and how she ended up with such a monster, Tina would never know. Arranged marriage perhaps. "I'll be back and we won't have to worry about anything."

That day at school, Tina came irritated with pink eyes from crying. Gordon had walked her to school harassing her the whole way. "Bye, bye sissy." He said hugging her. The way he spoke to her and touched her made her feel disgusting and worthless.

Artie, Kurt and Mercedes who had waited for her by the flagpole as usual approached her with smiles. Artie made it there first with a chuckle. "Usually you're all waiting for me but I beat you today." He said cheerily to an empty faced Tina. "Tina? Are you alright?"

Tina nodded and put on her smile mask. Artie reached up to her arm. She was wearing a black tank top with her ripped sleeveless jean jacket and her elbow-high fish net arm stockings. Tina jerked her bruised arm away. "What do you want Artie? Leave me alone! I just w-walked into the uh cabinets this morning. It was dark okay!"

Artie just stared up at Tina. "I'm sorry." He said gently.

"Whatever. I'm going to class." She said and started walking away. Artie followed her in his wheelchair, but she just walked faster than he could keep up so he held back for Mercedes and Kurt.

Artie looked up at them, wide-eyed and innocent, an air of hurt lingering over him. "I don't know what just happened. Was it something I did? Or said?"

"I don't think it's you Artie." Said Mercedes, pushing on the back handles of his wheelchair making him lean back. She did that spontaneously, always laughing lightly at his consistent shock and goofy smile. "She's just having a moment. We'll see her at lunch or at Glee and I'm sure she'll be just fine with you."

"Yeah." Kurt agreed with a playful hair petting. "How long could she stay mad at _you_?"

Artie smiled widely and blushed. He combed his fingers through his hair and they all went to their classes.

Although he looked around for her, Artie couldn't find Tina all day. He wheeled around the school to some of her hideouts but found nothing. She was at glee after school however, which pleased him. Coming into the auditorium with its new ramps, Artie gleamed, not at the ramps that were his joy but at the beautiful face enthroned with blue streaks. She smiled back at him. There were a few others in the auditorium but he didn't care. He wanted to see Tina.

"Tina where have you been?" I've been searching for you all day."

"I've just needed some time to think. Look," she said hopping off the stage and crouching so they'd be eye to eye. "I am so sorry for how I treated you this morning. It's just that, well, my mom she—"

"Hello everybody!" Yelled Mr. Schuester, coming into the auditorium happily.

Artie smiled putting his hands on her shoulders. "It's okay. Maybe we can hang out after school. Um, we wouldn't be able to do my house though. My grandparents are coming down from Canada and I don't want to be near them. My parents are good to me but my grandparents," Artie sighed and shook his head. "They have some stuff against me. They're naggers and are quite ashamed of me. You know the whole, why aren't you more like your brother or sister? So maybe we could go to your house. I've never been before." Artie was smiling and Tina just couldn't bring herself to wipe the smile of his joyful face again by saying no.

"Uh. Yeah. Sure." She said gulping hard. _I can't let Artie see my place. We're poor. He's rich and well off and he'll never like me when he sees my apartment. I don't even live in a house!_ She thought to herself. _He'll look down on me for sure._ But somehow, when she saw his face lighting up she thought it might be okay.

"Ok gang," exclaimed Mr. Schu with excitement. "We're gonna start with 'Don't Go Breakin' My Heart' by Elton John. Aaaaand, we're gonna spice this up a bit. I want Tina and Puck to be leads." Everyone was surprised at the new leading combo; especially Tina and Puck. _What an odd combination, _they all thought. Begrudgingly everyone waited for Rachel to object but she didn't.

Glee practice went great but both Tina and Artie couldn't wait for it to be over.

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"I'm gonna try something. Don't get mad at me k?" Tina exclaimed as she jumped on the back of Artie's wheelchair and they slid down the sidewalk. They both laughed as the wind blew through their hair. Artie reached back with one hand to hold Tina's on the handlebars.

"Promise me you won't judge me by my apartment?"

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't judge you if you lit the school on fire! I would question your motives and sanity, but you'll never get me to stop being your friend. Well unless you break my heart, rip it out and stomp on it in front of everyone in glee. But baby you're not kind." He finished in song with a line from their song in Glee that afternoon.

When they exited the rickety elevator in the apartment building, they saw repo men taking furniture and things through the hall and down the stairs. "Oh no the Mackenzie's must be getting kicked out! They've been struggling a long time now." Tina explained as they approached her apartment. Watching the repo men, she recognized the furniture as her own.

"Oh no!" She yelled. "Artie you have to go home. Leave now Artie! Please! Just go away! You can't see this! Go!"

"Tina no," he said holding her hand. "I wanna stay with you. You know you don't wanna be alone through this. Don't be embarrassed, I'm your friend."

"I don't want you to see what my dad and brother are like. Especially when bad things happen. They're terrible Artie. I don't want you around them. You should just go home…" Feeling Artie's hand let go of hers, she stopped him. "Okay. Please do stay Artie. Please."

_Gladly. _He thought.

"Dad what's going on?" She asked after opening the door that had slammed in her face.

"What's going on!? What's going on!? You stupid girl! I think it's obvious what's going on you idiot! We have no money! We have nothing! They just took everything we have! All we have left is bed frames and fridge and microwave! No couch only 3 wood chairs! They took TV and computer! They leave us cardboard boxes! They only leave 2 small mattresses! Oh and who is this!? You bring boyfriend! You tramp!" Tina's father shook her by the arm, yelling in her face.

"Go to you room! And take the wheelchair with you!"

"His name is Artie!"

"I don't care! And you expect me to feed him too!?"

"Sir I don't expect to be fed. I just wanted to be with Tina for school work."

"School work!? You probably take advantage of her! You sick useless little white boy!" He yelled, kicking Artie's wheelchair then swearing at him.

Tina threw herself on her wooden bed frame, crying silently. Artie wheeled over, rubbing her back before helping her into a seated position. He led her head to his lap and ran his fingers through her hair. If only he could feel her head on his legs. He wished so desperately to feel her against him so gentle and soft. He just adored her. Sweetly he began to sing in hopes of calming her.

"Hush little Tina, you can cry, but Artie's gonna sing you a lullaby. And if that lullaby ain't heard, Artie's gonna find you mockingbird. And if that mockingbird don't sing, Artie's gonna buy you a diamond ring. And if that diamond ring don't shine, Artie's gonna build you golden shrine. And if that shrine be sacrilegious, Tina'll have to settle for a little kiss." Artie stopped his song and put his hand under her chin to pull her face up towards him. Gently, Artie posed his lips on her forehead.

"I'd settle for a little Artie kiss over anything in the world." Said Tina kneeling up to get closer to Artie and rested on him as she had that night in the school. But now it was different. Now it was Artie who kissed Tina with a delicate passion only he could manage. When they finished a sweet kiss, Tina leaned back in Artie's chair. Their heads resting next to each other.

Artie rolled them over to the bed with the mattress and shuffled onto it to be more comfortable. "Tina you are the single most beautiful girl in the whole world." With Tina having a blushed smile, Artie kissed her cheek and they sat peacefully. Through all the hurt and drama, love had truly overcome all her pain.

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Please review amazing people and thx for reading!!

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\ / Awstyn  
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